In a computer-based system for servicing user initiated tasks, it is important to maintain a balance between the number of users initiating tasks and the number of workers available to handle user initiated tasks, so that efficiency and/or utility of the system are maintained.
If the balance between users and workers fails to be maintained, several problems can occur in such a system. For example, if there are too many workers in the system, they will not be busy enough and will not earn worthwhile income. In addition, the workers can become bored and uninterested in their work. In contrast, for example, if there are too few workers in the system, user initiated tasks will not be handled in a timely manner, or will be handled by workers not skilled in the particular task area. Poor service and dissatisfied users will be the result.
In addition to other potential problems, handling user initiated tasks often does not allow the workers to become aware of methods and strategies that could be utilized to improve performance on such tasks. Although a worker's performance may increase through trial and error via handling many user initiated tasks, such a process may not allow a worker to increase his or her skills as quickly as desired. Further, handling user initiated tasks does not necessarily expose a worker to techniques that might allow the worker to realize how “the best” service is provided.
In light of the foregoing, a system, method, and computer program product for managing secondary activities of workers in, for example, a computer-based system for servicing user initiated tasks would be appreciated. In addition a system, method, and computer-readable medium in which workers in, for example, a computer-based system for servicing user initiated tasks can be trained to improve their performance would be appreciated.
In a paid searching system including paid human searchers or guides, if there are not enough guides, the length of time for an information seeker (or users) to obtain search results will be unacceptable, as the information seeker may become frustrated. If there are too many guides, the system will not be cost-effective in terms of the work performed by the guides and their compensation for such work (and/or the human workers may become bored and/or distracted). Although proper balance between the two resources, that is, the guides (providers) and the information seekers (users or requestors) is important to the overall effectiveness of the system, nevertheless, the guides will inevitably experience “down time.”
Down time or time during which a guide is not fielding information search queries from information seekers can result in guides becoming bored. Further, as the guide is not busy answering queries, the guide is not improving his or her information search skills during the period of idleness.
In addition to the above potential problems, providing search results to information search queries often does not allow the guides to become aware of specific methods and strategies that could be utilized to increase the accuracy of their performance in responding to search queries. Although the guide's performance may increase through trial and error via providing search results for search queries, such a method may not allow a guide to increase his or her skills as quickly as desired. Further, providing search results to queries does not demonstrate ideal performance in order to allow a guide to realize how “the best” search results are provided. Therefore, providing accurate responses to information search queries, one of the most important goals of such a system, may be compromised.
Recently many online social networking systems, such as LinkedIn®, MySpace® and Facebookx® have become popular as they permit users to form ad-hoc networks which can be used to share information and common interests. Users may add user-generated or other content to such sites. In a search system, the searchers (or guides) may desire to create similar interest communities, and share information and/or techniques for obtaining information with guides and/or users if a guide in an interest area may be unavailable. However, current social networking sites are not accessible when a worker is needed to be on-call to serve real-time requests from an information seeker. Users of such systems must select between paid and leisure activities.
Current “community based” search systems, such as Google® Co-op have been created to attempt to enable search of specialized resources which have been contributed by a community of users. But such systems do not allow contributors who may have similar interests to identify each other anonymously (or with flexible levels of anonymity), or to share information regarding search techniques and/or resources which may be available. Collaboration to enhance the breadth and depth of such search resources is often difficult, and algorithm-based search may not effectively locate and utilize such resources.
In light of the problems identified above, what is needed is a method, system, and computer-readable medium in which guides can be trained during idle or available time via any available resource(s), such as a video, audio, image, text, interactive media or computer programs, computer systems, and/or any combination thereof which might be utilized to increase guide skill.